US Ambassador Condemned Over Claim That Israel Is Entitled to Most of the Middle East
The remarks by United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee — claiming that Israel has a right to most of the Middle East — have drawn condemnation from Arab and Muslim nations, who deemed the statement unacceptable.
According to AP News on Sunday (22/2/2026), Huckabee made the remarks during an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that essentially encompasses the entire Middle East. He then asked Huckabee whether Israel had a right to that land.
Huckabee replied that he had "no problem if they take it all." However, he added that Israel was not seeking to expand its territory and had the right to security in territories it legitimately controls.
The statement triggered sharp reactions from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Huckabee's remarks as "extremist rhetoric" and "unacceptable," calling on the US State Department to clarify its position.
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs similarly labelled the statement a "blatant violation" of international law. The Egyptian foreign ministry also affirmed that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories or any other Arab lands.
"Statements of this nature, extremist and without solid foundation, will only inflame tensions and stoke religious and nationalist sentiments," the Arab League said in a statement.
Neither Israel nor the United States issued an immediate comment.
In recent months, Israel has sought to deepen its control over the occupied West Bank. It has expanded Jewish settlement construction, legalised settlement outposts, and made significant bureaucratic changes to its policies in the territory. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank and would block such a move.
For decades, Palestinians have called for the establishment of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital — a demand supported by most of the international community.
Huckabee is an evangelical Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel and the settlement movement in the West Bank. He has long rejected the idea of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. In an interview last year, he said he did not believe in referring to the Arab descendants of Palestine's British Mandate-era inhabitants as "Palestinians."
According to AP News on Sunday (22/2/2026), Huckabee made the remarks during an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that essentially encompasses the entire Middle East. He then asked Huckabee whether Israel had a right to that land.
Huckabee replied that he had "no problem if they take it all." However, he added that Israel was not seeking to expand its territory and had the right to security in territories it legitimately controls.
The statement triggered sharp reactions from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Huckabee's remarks as "extremist rhetoric" and "unacceptable," calling on the US State Department to clarify its position.
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs similarly labelled the statement a "blatant violation" of international law. The Egyptian foreign ministry also affirmed that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories or any other Arab lands.
"Statements of this nature, extremist and without solid foundation, will only inflame tensions and stoke religious and nationalist sentiments," the Arab League said in a statement.
Neither Israel nor the United States issued an immediate comment.
In recent months, Israel has sought to deepen its control over the occupied West Bank. It has expanded Jewish settlement construction, legalised settlement outposts, and made significant bureaucratic changes to its policies in the territory. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank and would block such a move.
For decades, Palestinians have called for the establishment of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital — a demand supported by most of the international community.
Huckabee is an evangelical Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel and the settlement movement in the West Bank. He has long rejected the idea of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. In an interview last year, he said he did not believe in referring to the Arab descendants of Palestine's British Mandate-era inhabitants as "Palestinians."